


Scorched

by buckysknifecollection



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Demon possession, F/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, fallen angel AU, injury mention, violence mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 20:21:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21003602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckysknifecollection/pseuds/buckysknifecollection
Summary: Just a fluffy fallen angel AU for all of your soft spooky needs.





	Scorched

**Author's Note:**

> {{This piece was reposted from my Tumblr blog buckysknifecollection.tumblr.com}}

The light is blinding even for him, who is used to heavenly brightness and suns and stars. But where those are kind and harmless to him, this light only means one thing - he’s messed up big time. It’s all around him, trapping him so he can’t escape his punishment, pulling him down towards a destination he most definitely does not want to reach. His wing catches on the beam and even if it cannot be grasped, the burn of it definitely can be felt very intensely. The stench of burning flesh and feathers lingers in his nose, feels like it will never leave him again.

Falling should not feel so familiar to anyone. But it does to him, this isn’t the first time he’s falling. But it’s been a long time now, he’s kept his mouth shut and actions in check, followed orders without batting an eye. But he couldn’t help his nature, now could he?

Suddenly he hits the ground hard, the explosion-like noise filling his ears. The journey felt shorter than last time, maybe the urgency of his punishment sent him there faster than it ever did before. Next thing he feels is the overwhelming pain. The mind-numbing feeling flowing through his entire body, making him unable to move in fear it would only hurt more. 

His already damaged wing hurts even more now too, probably broken, but he’s scared to even look at it. He can’t see much anyway. Wherever he landed, it’s pitch black, he can’t even see his own hands, his eyes are unable to adjust to the darkness fast enough.

If he is found by anyone or  _ anything  _ right now, he surely is doomed.

A fallen and wounded angel, completely defenseless in a foreign environment.

_ _ _ _

It’s been three months since you’ve moved out to your father’s cabin. It’s been hard adjusting to life in isolation, but you knew you needed it after everything that had happened. First a broken engagement, then your father’s illness getting worse and taking him from you, your job getting increasingly stressful and your boss not understanding that you are a person with feelings and problems outside the small cubicle on the 14th floor. Overwhelmed, stressed and emotionally bruised, you dropped it all. Quit the job, deleted all social media, sold or donated belongings you didn’t need, even vacated your tiny rented apartment in the city’s best neighbourhood. You packed whatever you had left in your car, you tricked your moody pyrenees dog with treats inside the car as well and left the city.

And so here you are, in the tiny cabin that used to only be filled with summer holiday adventures and the occasional Christmas gathering. Your books replaced the old VHS tapes on the bookshelf, your ridiculous collection of cute mugs filled the cupboards in the kitchen, a selection of pillows and stuffed characters you were way too attached to decorated the sofa, the armchairs and the bed. On the living room window sill proudly stood the only plant you have ever managed to keep alive - a cactus in a hedgehog shaped pot.

It’s about seven in the evening when the stillness and calm of your home is disturbed. Even if the hour isn’t late, seeing as fall was quickly approaching, the forest surrounding your new home is covered in darkness, the full moon just barely making it through the still thick trees.

You are curled up in the middle of the sofa, covered in your favourite fluffy blanket, two pillows are stuffed under your arms, just because don’t feel like holding your arms up to read your book. Alpine is stretched out on her back in front of the burning fireplace, belly on full display, her paws are curled in the air and her tongue is hanging out of her open snout and you think - this is what happiness looks like.

The radio on top of the kitchen counter is playing some soft tunes selected by the local station and it’s definitely the most peaceful you have felt in a long time.

A sudden, unnatural flash surrounds your cabin, lighting up the inside through the windows. It’s followed by an explosion-like noise and your first instinct is to shrug it off as a lightning, but it’s a clear night. The weather has been beautiful all day, not a single cloud in the sky and the forecast didn’t predict any rain for the next few days. Whatever it was, that did not sound like an upcoming thunderstorm either, more like a an actual explosion somewhere in the distance. 

Alpine immediately rolls on her belly with a whine, fully alert and searching for threats. You glance from her to the window, waiting for another flash of light, but everything is silent again. Even the radio in the kitchen goes back to playing whatever song it was playing after a few seconds of cracking and white noise.

“What the fuck…” You mutter, put your book aside and unwrap yourself from the blanket cocoon. Alpine follows you to the kitchen, where you look out the window, but there's no sign of...anything, really. The only thing you can see is the bright moon high in the sky and the empty clearing in front of the cabin.

“Should we go investigate, Alpie?” You smile down at the clearly worried dog. Apparently living in the middle of a forest, at least half an hour drive from the nearest village taught you absolutely no self-preservation. 

You quickly put your boots and jacket on, not bothering to change out of your pajamas, grab a flashlight and put a leash on Alpine. She's not impressed by it, she never liked being on a leash, but it was probably better that she doesn’t run off and get in trouble.

Giddy like a kid on the way to a playground, you go out to see if you can find the source of the strange light. Almost immediately, Alpine sniffs out something suspicious and pulls you deeper inside the forest. You're tempted to let go of the leash, because you're sure she'll rip your arm out of its socket with her strength. You can't even properly light up the way because you keep stumbling over fallen branches and random stones as your beast of a dog pulls you towards what you hope are at least aliens.

After about fifteen minutes of you huffing and groaning and begging Alpine to slow down, you reach a clearing you're sure was not there before. It looks like something really did explode there, the trees that were previously growing there, were burned and knocked broken to the ground, making the clearing look like an obstacle course. Strange marks covered the ground as well, as if someone doodled on it with a massive black marker. The smell of burning wood fills the air. You scan the sight in front of you with the flashlight, searching for anything even more out of the ordinary. The light falls on something so bright, you think it's another flash. Upon closer look, you notice the thing is completely still, and very big and possibly an alien, but you're no expert. 

For some reason, your brain just can't comprehend what you're looking at. It looks like a wing, but that can't be true. The largest animal you’ve seen in the area is your own dog and whatever that is in front of you, has wings larger than your entire body and you probably should be running away, screaming in fear. But Alpine is perfectly calm and you have always trusted her as your personal danger detector. One deep breath of encouragement and you pass the edge of the clearing, slowly making your way to the mysterious creature, the scorched ground under your feet crunching loudly. Alpine's softer steps follow you loyally, nose curiously sniffing the air. 

When you're only a few steps away, you see clearly that hidden under the bright white wing is not some mythical bird, but a man. You need a moment to process that information in your head because that cannot be possible. Your mind floods with images of marble statues, renaissance paintings and beautiful movie characters, but this could not be possible. 

The man shifts slightly, the ruffle of his wings, there's two of them after all, brings you out of your thoughts. He reminds you of a wounded pigeon you once found on your window sill, completely still in fear, body curled in a defensive ball. Where his right wing is shielding his body from the outside world, his left wing lays limp on his side, slightly bent at an unnatural angle, the tips of the feathers smoking. 

You close the distance between you and the man and kneel next to him. "Alpie, come here." You pull her closer to you, not wanting your pet polar bear to scare the man even more. 

You're so confused by this entire situation. A strange winged man appears out of nowhere in a clearing that he apparently burned out himself. Did you accidentally eat some weird mushrooms? There's no way this right here was not a hallucination. But Alpie is sniffing him, whining, because apparently she wanted to get close to him for a reason only known to her puppy brain. 

"Hey..." You start to speak, but your throat is dry, and the word sounds more like a hoarse squeak. You clear your throat and try again. "Are you hurt?" 

The man's face turns to you so fast, it startles you and you fall back on your butt with a gasp. The first thing you notice are his shocking, bright blue eyes, like the sky in the middle of summer, that looked strange and pale in the moonlight. And he's beautiful too, breathtakingly so. A sharp jawline, pretty pink lips and gorgeous cheekbones. He doesn't answer you, only stares. 

You collect yourself and scoot a bit closer to him. "Are you okay?" 

He hesitates for a moment and then shakes his head and you're glad that at least he understands you. It breaks your heart how frightened he looks, his hands shaking slightly where he has them curled up against his bare chest. 

Ah, so he's completely naked too. This surely is a  _ situation _ . 

"I won't hurt you, I promise. I only want to help." You assure him in a soft voice. 

Alpine lets out a whine and tries to wriggle out of your hold to get closer to the man. He doesn't seem scared of her, only confused, so you slowly ease up your hold on the leash and let her approach him. Alpine always was the foster mom for any strays you brought home to help them recover from whatever bad state you found them in and you supposed she felt that same caring instinct for this poor man. At first he's weary, but she curls up next to him and lets out a huff, headbutting him in the chin and that seems to assure him enough to reach out and let his fingers tangle in her long white fur. 

He looks back at you in question. "Don't worry, she wants to help too." 

As he pets her, soaking up her warmth and calming presence, you let your eyes wander. The sight of him is so surreal and the contrast between your white dog and his pristine feathers is fascinating. He shivers violently and you realise he must be freezing with nothing but his wings to protect him from the chill of the night. 

"Hey, um, stay here, okay? Alpie will keep you safe." He looks panicked when you stand up to leave. "I'll be right back, I promise. I'll get something to keep you warm." 

Your reassurances seem to do nothing, as he still seems alarmed. 

"Alpine, protect our friend." You order her and hope that her intelligence decides to shine through. She looks perfectly content laying on the ground curled up to the man, so you take a few slow steps to see if she'll follow you. When she doesn't, you bolt back to the cabin as fast as you can. 

You crash through the door, frantically looking for what you need. 

"Blanket, blanket, blanket…." You mutter as you pick your biggest fluffiest one. You grab a bottle of water on your way out and then run back to the clearing. 

A sigh of relief leaves you when you spot the man and Alpine still curled up just like you left them. He hears you approaching, and at first tenses up but immediately relaxes when he sees it's you. 

"Hey, I'm back. I got you a blanket and some water." You explain as you get closer, the man is running his fingers through Alpine's fur and watches you curiously. 

"Here, drink some." You kneel next to him and hand him the open bottle. He eyes it suspiciously, as if he's never seen such a thing before. You suppose they might drink from magical fountains where he's from, instead of plastic bottles. You almost lose it, when he crinkles his nose in disgust, he looks utterly adorable. 

You take a sip of the water and make an exaggerated  _ Ahh _ noise. "See? It's okay. Come on, drink." 

The tiniest amused smile pulls at his lips, he sits up and takes the bottle from you, slowly drinking from it. You can't help but stare at him, he was easily the most gorgeous creature you have ever seen, with his shoulder length brown locks and muscled body. You feel like a total creep, so you avert your eyes and take a better look at his broken wing, which doesn't seem to have any movement in it. Some feathers fall off it whenever the man moves and it worries you. You also have no clue how to even attempt treating an injury like that. 

"Does it hurt?" 

He only looks at the wing with sad eyes, and hangs his head low, his hand burying itself back in Alpine's fur. You feel like a complete idiot for asking - of course it hurt. 

"I'm sorry." You whisper. Another violent shiver shakes the man and you remember that you were supposed to help him. 

You stand off the ground and spread out the blanket. "Come on then, Angel. Let's go inside." 

He's hesitant, but Alpine trotting around you happily seems to be encouragement enough and he takes the hand you offer him and lets you pull him up. You can feel a blush spreading on your face when he stands in front of you in all of his naked glory, but you ignore it and with what dignity you have left, you cover him with the blanket, careful not to touch his wings. 

He looks around now, taking in the mess of feathers all over the clearing. He picks one up and strokes it sadly, his lips pressed in a tight line. 

"Should we collect them?" You suppose it's better to take them with you, instead of just leaving them behind. His broken expression makes you think they are more important to him than they would be to some random bird. 

You quickly move around, sure to pick up even the tiniest feather, before he can ever react to it in any way. You soon join him where he stands surprised, your arms full of feathers and a happy smile your face. "Got them all." 

_ _ _ _

Bucky follows the woman and the strange but friendly bear-like dog through the woods, doing his best not to trip on the blanket she had draped over him.

The whole situation would make him smile if he still wasn't a bit out of it after the fall. His muscles ache and his ears are ringing, he has to put effort into concentrating whenever the woman speaks. She speaks softly to him, as if not to scare him, and he appreciates that, as he can't handle loud noises right now. He doesn’t know why she's helping him and why she doesn't seem to be in the tiniest bit concerned about him very obviously not being human, but he’s grateful all the same. 

Part of him is screaming for caution against this stranger, reminding him that his last visit to Earth ended with him in a way worse and more bloody state than he was in now. Another part of him suggests that there's no way this person will harm him when she's holding his fallen and damaged feathers in her arms like they are the most precious things she's ever held. 

They soon arrive to a small cabin, surrounded with nothing but more trees. She opens the door and motions him inside with a kind smile. Once inside, Bucky stands there, taking in his surroundings, while the woman goes further inside. She shifts a small basket with her foot and then puts his feathers inside, carefully arranging them so none fall out. She then pushes an armchair closer to the fireplace and tells him to sit. 

Bucky finds her home fascinating. There's dozens of books on the bookshelf and scattered around the room, drying herbs above the window, filling the space with a lovely smell. The soft looking pillows on the sofa are screaming Bucky's name and he so wants to bury his face in them and sleep. He's tempted to get up and throw himself in the pile of pillows, but his host is soon back at his side, a bowl of steaming soup in hand. Bucky was so distracted, he didn't even hear her preparing it. 

Bucky's stomach makes an embarrassing grumbling noise the moment he smells the soup and it makes the woman chuckle. 

"That hungry, huh? Here, just be careful." She hands him the bowl and doesn't fully let go until she's sure Bucky won't drop it. He carefully sips at the soup, blowing on the spoon to cool it enough so he won't burn himself. The broth warms him up immediately. 

The woman stays by his side the entire time he eats, occasionally throwing some extra wood in the fire, watching him or petting her dog. 

Bucky didn't expect his fall to end in such a peaceful moment, but where he thought he would have to fight for survival, here he is - enjoying a good meal and the warmth of the fire and the hospitality of a friendly person. Not much of a punishment after all, he thinks.

When he finishes his second helping of soup, she takes the bowl from him and sets it on the low table behind her and stands up, reaching out a hand towards him. 

Bucky looks up at her in surprise, not really sure what to do, but she isn't offended by his ever-present confusion. She wiggles her fingers and smiles when Bucky grabs her hand gently. 

"Come on, Angel. This couch is too small for you, what with your wings... You can take the bed tonight." 

She leads him to a small bedroom, very obviously hers, more pillows are covering half the bed, which she shamelessly pushes off and on the floor, making the bed instantly more spacious. 

Bucky stands there, eyeing the pictures on the wall curiously - a little girl and an older man in most of them. Probably her and her father, he thinks. Meanwhile, she's digging through a closet, murmuring to herself, something Bucky noticed she does a lot. 

"I have some spare blankets that you can use. I think you'll be pretty comfy in here, Angel." 

"James." 

The woman almost hits her head on the closet door when she turns to look at him. "What?" 

Bucky looks away from the pictures and turns towards her as she stands there with blankets spilling from her arms and mouth open in surprise. 

"My name is James." He says quietly and watches her surprise melt into joy as she takes a few steps towards him, murmurs his name as if to test how it sounds from her mouth and then tells him her own with the prettiest grin she has gifted him yet. 

She immediately goes back to piling blankets up on the bed, Bucky thinks they would be enough to keep half an army warm, but she holds the covers away for him to lay down under them. Once he settles on his stomach, avoiding any pressure on his damaged wing, she tucks him in as best as she can and sits on the edge of the bed while he watches her. 

"Get some rest, James. I'll be back in the other room if you need me." She brushes a few stray strands behind his ear and stands up before he can say anything. "Goodnight!" She says and disappears out the door. 

Before he falls asleep, Bucky can still hear her move around the kitchen and speak softly to her dog. Despite his instincts, he feels completely safe in this woman's home. And he feels warm too, but he's not sure if that's the blankets she piled on top of him or simply  _ her _ . 

_ _ _ _

Ever since you've adopted Alpine it was her wet nose and brown eyes that woke you up in the morning. So the first thing you saw after waking up was a pair of blue eyes, the embarrassing yelp you let out was perfectly justified. 

When you were falling asleep the night before, you were fully convinced that in the morning everything would be as normal and the fallen angel you found in the woods would have been just another dream. But no, there he is, sat on the floor, staring at you as you try to make sense of reality and looking completely ridiculous wrapped in your red blanket.

"Hello." The angel speaks and he sounds so much more alive than the night before. 

In the bright late morning sun seeping through the window, he is so stunning it takes your breath away. His hair is a beautiful soft brown, reaching just past his chin, his eyes are so blue they look unreal and his pretty pink lips are pulled into an amused grin. 

That's when you realise you've been ogling him like a weirdo.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" 

"I feel fine." You, on the other hand, feel like you're gonna melt because of him. 

"James, right?" You ask, making sure his name wasn't something you dreamt, but he only nods. "Come on, let's make you some breakfast."

He follows you to the kitchen, Alpine on your other side, nudging your hand for attention. Your options are limited, but there's enough bread to make toast for both of you and there's still half a massive jar of Nutella, which means the basics are there. You make two large cups of tea and pour some wet food in Alpine's bowl so she doesn't try to steal your plate. 

Turns out angels can have a sweet tooth too. You had to stop James from digging into the jar with his tea spoon and he grumbled at you, but you had no interest in him overdoing it and possibly puking on your carpet. Once your tea is finished, you leave James to nibble on his last piece of toast and head for the bathroom to clean yourself up. 

Dressed in fresh clothes and feeling alive again, you go back to the kitchen to find your guest angel kneeling on the floor, giving Alpine what looked like some heavenly belly rubs. He has the purest smile on his face and it breaks your heart to interrupt their fun, but James is still covered in ashes and he's getting it all over Alpine too. 

You walk over and tap on his blanket covered shoulder. "Let's get you cleaned up, Angel."

He follows you to the bathroom and immediately climbs in the bathtub that you had filled with warm water and vanilla bubble soap. You don't even have a chance to offer him help before he's already chest-deep in the water and sighing happily. 

"Okay, good. Is the water nice or is it too hot?" You ask as you grab your shampoo and conditioner. 

He only sighs again and leans into your touch when you rake your fingers through his hair. While you wash his hair and he cleans himself up, you think how weird it is to be bathing a grown man, but it kind of feels nice too. He's obviously not shy of you and after the initial shock, you've gotten over the fact the he's naked in front of you. No need to makes things weird when they don't need to be. 

"Should I…. wash your wings as well?" You ask, not really sure if you’re allowed to touch them and afraid the left one probably still hurts. 

James winces away from you. "No, please don't touch them." He says in a small voice.

"I won't. Don't worry. I'll go find you some clothes, alright?" 

Of course you'd never do anything to hurt him or break his trust in you. You leave him in the bathroom and close the door behind you, so Alpine doesn't storm in and flood the place. You find some of your dad's old clothes that you didn't have the heart to get rid of yet - a pair of sweats and a tank top, which you're not yet sure how you'll fit over James's wings. 

Back in the bathroom, James has already dried himself and he sits on the edge of the bathtub, wrapped in a towel and waiting for you. 

"Alright, put these on and I'll uh…. figure this shirt out." You hand him the trousers and hold up the tank top, urging your brain cells to give you a creative idea. 

As he adjusts the strings on the pants so they don't fall off his hips, you pull out a pair of scissors from the drawer and cut the neckline on the back of the shirt. You then have James step into the shirt and pull it up his body like a dress. You adjust it a bit on his shoulders and under his wings and think - you really are a genius and your guest angel won't have to walk around naked anymore. 

_ _ _ _

_ Meanwhile, something dark and evil has appeared in the calm forest, silencing the peaceful creatures going about their day. It finds a single forgotten white feather, it's tip slightly blackened. It breathes in the scent left from the owner of the feather, it catches a trail and so the hunt begins. _

_ _ _ _

James turns out to be very talkative when he's not in shock and scared for his safety. Perched on a chair by the kitchen table, he confirms that he is indeed an angel, a divine warrior as they're apparently called, but he refuses to say what got him cast out. 

"Well, you do look like a bit of a trouble maker." You grin at him over your fresh cup of tea and he gives you a mischievous look that only confirms your theory. 

"Not as much as my brother, but he has a talent of talking himself out of pretty much any punishment." He scoffs. "I guess I went a bit too far this time."

You glance at the basket full of feathers next to your sofa and smirk. "Ya think?" 

He follows your gaze and laughs. Whatever he did, it didn't seem like his punishment was going as planned, since he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself in your company. 

"So, do you live alone here?" He asks and you shrug. 

"Yeah, just me and Alpine." Even though your problems seem far lesser than his - him being kicked out of heaven, it feels nice to talk to someone about what had happened. 

You tell him everything, about your dad, your ex-fiancée, your job and how you left your old life behind in search of peace and quiet. 

"Sure there aren't any people around, but I get to watch squirrels and foxes run around all the time, so it's not so bad." You wink at him. "And I get the occasional surprise guest."

While the two of you are talking, Alpine begins to pace back and forth in front of the entrance, huffing uneasily and growling. At first you think she might just want to go outside to take care of her business, but then she starts barking, quite aggressively too and that immediately sends a wave of panic through you.

“Alpie, what’s wrong, girl?” You try to pull her away from the door, maybe there’s a wolf outside or something. But James looks tense as well and it worries you how intensely he’s staring at the door. 

He moves so fast you don’t even see him coming and next thing you know, you are crouched on the floor in the far corner of the kitchen, Alpine growling at your feet and James stands in front of you protectively. Before you can form any words to ask what’s going on, the door to you cabin is ripped straight out of its frame like it was made of paper instead of solid wood.

“James?” Your voice shakes from the utter terror you’re feeling.

“Stay behind me.” He orders in a stern tone that feels like icy water making you very aware of the danger.

The silence is horrifying, it’s like the entire world stands still. There’s no wind, not woodland creatures ruffling up the fallen leaves, you’re not sure if you’re even breathing. A strange black mist appears where your door was just seconds ago, part of you panics, thinking something is burning and that’s actually smoke, but the way it moves….it’s like it’s alive.

It oozes into the entrance, wraps and folds on itself until it forms almost solid figures. They look like normal bodies except they’re not exactly that. They are transparent in places but then completely solid in others and each figure has three glowing red eyes, like the ones you remember from movies except actually scary. 

You pull on James’s hand that’s nearest to you. “What’s going on?”

“Demons.” He growls without looking back at you. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice a bright light, similar to the one that accompanied James’s arrival on Earth.

Except this one is running down from his left shoulder to his palm, like molten metal, following the pattern of his veins and then flowing further down and forming a long blade. It continues glowing for a moment longer until it solidifies into a sharp sword so black it looks like a hole in reality. It’s beautiful and mesmerising but also scary as hell. You mutter a few cuss words and shuffle back into the corner as far from the oncoming fight as you can.

The demons focus on James and a low, animal-like hiss comes from them.

“ _ You can’t run from us anymore, Fallen One. _ ” The creature seethes at James, who takes a step back towards you.

“Stay here.” He tells you and throws himself at the intruders with a growl, sword raised.

It’s scary to watch him fight, no matter how stunning and graceful he is. You’ve only seen him as a peaceful person and even when he did tell you he was a warrior, you could never imagine a gentle man like him to fight so fiercely. The demons do manage to get some hits on him, but he seems to be a way better fighter than them, pushing them away from the house and away from you.

You don’t dare make a single sound, you stay frozen in place, curled up in the corner, only with Alpine by your side. She probably wouldn’t stand a chance against even one of those creatures, but you are grateful that she didn’t flee and is instead shielding you with her body.

_ _ _ _

_ As the vicious fight goes on, neither the Angel, nor the Human notice a thread of black mist slither along the shadows of the floor. It hides well, not even the Human’s guardian notices anything.  _

_ It slides up the wall and slides into her mind undetected. _

_ It doesn’t take her over yet, no, it’s not time yet. _

_ It waits. _

_ _ _ _ 

The demons have gotten stronger since his last time on Earth. Bucky was only fighting three now but it took a lot more effort than he remembers. 

He’s glad that his fall didn’t mean his powers were taken away. He’s pretty sure he could return home if he wanted to, but the truth is he wants to spend a bit more time with the kind stranger that took him in.

One whose life is in grave danger and it’s all because of Bucky. These are the same demons he got in trouble with last time and it looks like they have good memory. He has no idea how did they find him so fast. It was foolish of him to think they wouldn’t get to him eventually, but then again, he never claimed to be the smartest of the angels.

Lucky for him, they back off and flee eventually. Bucky is sure they will come back for him sooner or later but he hopes he has enough time to get his new friend to safety. Back in the cabin, he finds her completely frozen with fear, her knees hugged tight to her body and her eyes blankly fixed on a spot on the floor, tears are streaming down her face. Even Alpine is whimpering beside her, Bucky feels like the guilt is about to crush his bones at the sight.

“Hey, it's okay, darling, they're gone now, you're safe.” He keeps his voice low so as not to add to her fragile state. He gently lifts her face so she looks at him but her eyes are emotionless.

“Safe?” Her voice is barely audible and it breaks Bucky’s heart to see her so scared, he hates that his presence is the cause of this. 

“Yes, darling, you're safe now.” 

He cups her face and smiles at her. She closes her eyes, basking in the warmth of his palms, but a moment later, Alpine starts growling again and backing away from her. Bucky is confused and looks between the dog and the woman. 

“What are you doing? Why are are you growling all of a sudden?” He asks Alpine as if she could answer.

He turns back to the woman and the blood in his veins. Her eyes are fixed on him, but they aren’t the same beautiful shade they were a moment ago. They’re the same bright, menacing red as the demons, glowing, mocking his entire existence.

“ _ She will never be safe, Fallen One, and neither will you. _ ” A chorus of voices in different pitches sound from her moving lips, but it’s definitely not her speaking. It’s the demon possessing her.

The same black mist crawls up her skin and swallows her whole, she disappears right in front of Bucky, leaving nothing but ashy marks on the wall and cabinet and the haunting image of the red eyes on the once kind face.

Bucky wants to cry. He failed her. She was so kind to him, so caring, without even asking who he was, she took him in, fed and cared for him. And not only did he bring danger to her home, her peaceful sanctuary, but he failed her too by not shielding her from the treacherous demons that were after him. He looks at Alpine, who’s worryingly scratching at the spot her owner was sitting just seconds ago. 

“I'm sorry,” he whispers into the silent room. 

_ _ _ _

Bucky is pacing up and down and across the clearing, thinking. He knows he would be stupid to face the demons on his own - he doesn’t know how many of them there are and he’s still a bit weakened, so he'd probably end up a bloody mess and his friend would most likely end up dead. No, going alone was not an option. 

But getting help could end badly too. He'd just fallen last night, after a tense situation and an even more tense judgment. He doesn't know what's the situation like back home and if anyone would even hear him out. He has to try though, it's his only hope to save his her. 

He stops in the middle of the clearing, takes a deep breath and looks up at the cloudy sky. 

"Brothers, sisters! I need your help!" He yells at the skies. 

Silence. Well, he didn't expect the heavens to open just like that. 

"Look, I know I messed up, but I need your help!" 

"After I fell, a human helped me. She looked after me without asking any questions. She's a good soul and now demons took her because of me. Please, I'm begging you. Help me bring her back to safety, that's all I ask. I don't ask for forgiveness, I don't ask for anything for myself. Just.." He sighs defeated, he doesn't even know if anyone is listening. "Help me save her, please." He whispers, his voice tired and defeated. 

No answer comes from the heavens this time either, no matter how long he stares at them. 

"Fuck." He grunts and starts walking back to the cabin, trying to come up with a plan B.

Just as he's past the circle of burned trees, a loud wind breaks out, and a beam of light shines down at the clearing behind him.

He was heard, someone was coming. 

The light intensifies until it’s looks like a wall of crystal, it hits the ground with a hiss and white smoke lifts off the ground around it. As the light and white smoke clear out, four figures clad in armour stand there, large, white wings spread behind them and weapons at the ready.

Steve, Sam, Natasha and Wanda have heard his pleads and came to help.

"Oh, Buck. You always need to throw yourself into a mess, huh?" Sam laughs and he pulls Bucky in a hug, patting his back. The other three approach him too, all of them pulling Bucky in hugs. 

"What happened, Bucky?" Asks Wanda. 

He explains everything, and the others listen carefully without interrupting. Steve lifts an eyebrow at the end of Bucky's story. 

"So you’re saying we need to rescue a dame in distress?" Oh he thinks he’s so funny.

Bucky rolls his eyes. "Shut up. Will you help me?" 

"Why else would we bother to put our armour on? Let's go kick some demon ass." Natasha smirks, ready for a fight. 

Bucky always knew that no matter what, he can always count on his family and he was grateful for them. Maybe he would even try not to get into so much trouble next time. Maybe.

Before they leave, Wanda comes close and heals his broken wing back to its former glory. Bucky uses his powers for his armour to cover his body and so they leave to find the demons.

_ _ _ _

The demons aren't hiding very far, it’s almost as if they didn’t even bother get away at all. Bucky’s is sure they are certain those disgusting creatures will win this fight but with the best warriors of the Heavens by his side, he feels confident. The thing is, they have to be careful so that his friend doesn’t get hurt in the process.

The angels find her in a small valley some miles from her home, in front of a beautiful waterfall. She’s sitting on the ground by the river, dipping her toes in the icy water as if that’s completely normal, but Bucky can see she is pale and her wet toes are turning a sickly blue.

She’s alone, but Bucky is sure there are more demons lurking in the shadows, waiting for the sign to attack. She turns towards them, eyes red, smile menacing and not  _ hers  _ at all. 

" _ Came to get your whore back, Fallen One _ ?" The echo of voices sound from her lips again and Bucky growls in anger. How dare they use her like this?!

As the five angels approach, Bucky sees the state she’s in. Her clothes are torn, there are claw marks all over her bare arms, her skin is pale like a corpse’s and there are black circles under her eyes that weren’t there this morning. Her body is not reacting to the possession well and it’s only a matter of time before it gives out.

"Let the girl go and fight us, you coward." Bucky calls out as his sword appears in his hand again like it did in the cabin. 

The demon stands up and steps closer on shaky legs. Its movements are strange, stiff and uncertain. Bucky thinks it’s either the demon doing a shitty job possessing her or she’s so weak, the demon struggles to keep her upright. Bucky needs to hurry before he looses her.

"_No, I don't think I will._" The demon purrs as its army appears in clouds of black mist behind it. 

Everything goes still for the longest second, like nature herself is preparing for battle. Bucky feels his heart beating slowly, calm before the storm. He grips his blade tight and hear the clatter of armoured angels getting into position behind him.

The demon possessing her points a finger at the five of them and lets out a roar. 

Part of Bucky expected the demons to have some semblance of a formation, but the chaos that erupted shocked him. Him and his team have been in countless fights over the millenia and knew each other’s fighting styles, weapons and their formations like it was second nature. But these demons were completely unpredictable, coming in from all directions, like vicious beasts with claws and fangs.

While the one possessing the girl stands still in the middle of the field, its army wreaks havoc around it. Natasha with her double blades and Steve with his shield and hammer take multiple demons down at once, causing probably the most damage out of the five of them. Bucky aids Wanda and their swords together swipe through the horde, steadily getting closer to the leader. Sam with his armoured wings completely obliterate any demon trying to attack them from above and slices through anything that comes too close.

Even though they were outnumbered and the beginning of the fight seemed like a certain loss, once the angels got used to the demon being mindless beasts and all of them moving in pretty much identical ways, it was like victory was presented to them on a silver platter.

Once the dust starts settling, Bucky walks over to the last demon standing, one that didn’t participate in the battle at all - the one still possessing  _ her _ . "Give her back and maybe I will spare you." he hisses. 

The demon laughs. " _ Since when do Angels lie, Fallen One _ ?" 

How dare this demon toy with this innocent soul and taunt him? Bucky’s had enough of these games.

Bucky wills his sword to melt into a glove of brilliant crystal plates that cover his arm up to his shoulder. He grabs the demon by the neck and pulls it to his body roughly, turning it, so it's back is slammed to Bucky's chest. It pains him to do this to her, but it needs to be done, he only hopes she will understand when she’s back to herself. He shields them both with his wings and let's his power run through her body and chase away the evil being inside her.

What he's doing is risky, very dangerous and it might kill her if he's not careful. But he would rather rip his wings off that let the demon stay inside her for even a minute longer. 

Bucky lets his divine power run through her veins, through her heart, her mind, her entire body, to the very last cell. He mutes out everything else around him, concentrating on using just the perfect amount of his powers in just the right way. It catches the demon and rips it to shreds, banishing it from her body and soul. Her body shakes and he wraps his right arm around her waist to keep her from falling. With a hiss and an echo of screams dissolving into her own voice, now screaming in agony, he clears her of the possession.

She leans back against him, head on his shoulder and chest raising heavily in deep breaths. Bucky removes his hand from her neck and keeps it across her chest to keep her hugged to him. His wings still shielding her from any possible harm, he leans his face to her and whispers her name, his lips barely grazing her ear. 

With a gasp, her eyes fly open but all she sees in front of her are his white feathers. She lifts her hands to them, but notices the arms holding her to Bucky’s body. She looks up over her shoulder and he finally sees her beautiful eyes that shine like the stars at night. 

"James?" she asks in a small voice, still scared "What happened?"

The glove of pure angelic energy dissolves from Bucky's arm and he reaches up to gently stroke her cheek. "You're safe now, darling, I've got you." 

She smiles at him, one of her beautiful smiles and he feels all fear loose it's clutches on his heart. She really is safe, and she is unharmed, he  _ saved _ her. 

She turns in his arms so she can face him and wraps her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly and resting her face on his chest.

Bucky can hear the others finish off the remaining demons but he just stands there, concentrating on her slowly calming heartbeat and shielding her like he should have from the beginning. She seems to wait to speak until it's quiet around them as well. When she pulls back from him, her hands never leaving him, she looks at him in wonder, then at his wings. 

"Your wing is better!" She beams at him. She really seemed worried for that wing of his earlier. 

"My sister was kind enough to heal me." Bucky explains as she reaches out to stroke his feathers. 

He flutters his wings playfully and it makes her giggle. Bucky couldn't even begin to explain the relief he feels at this very moment. He really feared he'd lose her. He pulls her in for one more hug, holding her to him like the precious treasure she is and he kisses the top of her head.

_ _ _ _ 

Even though James, or Bucky as his angel siblings call him, explained what had happened - the fight in front of your cabin, the possession, the other fight, you are still pretty confused. It’s a lot to take in so you kind of feel like you’re perfectly justified to be staring at the five angels like they are all balls of fire with fifty eyes or whatever the myths described them as.

“Are you okay?” Asks one of the women, but you’re not really sure how to answer her.

“I think so?” You look to James for any help but he keeps on smiling at you in the most sappy way you have ever seen on a person so you turn back to the woman. “I think I need to some time to come to terms with all this but, uh, I think I’m alright.”

“Okay, good, because we gotta go.” Says the one who introduced himself as Sam.

“Wait - go? Go where?” You don’t really want James to leave yet, you barely had a single conversation with him!

“We need to go back home and Bucky must come with us and report what happened.” The tall blond explains.

James doesn’t seem too keen on this news either, because he is glaring and the other angel and you kind of find it adorable. The other four angels take off, their wings taking them up in the sky in no time and if you didn’t pay attention, you’d probably miss them.

At first you think James will follow you through the forest to the clearing he said you would meet with the others but the moment you turn away from him and start walking, he moves so fast you think you might get a whiplash. He tugs you by the wrist back to him, puts both your arms on his shoulders and lifts you by the waist. It makes you squeal in surprise and kind of excitement to because...well, it’s kind of nice being wrapped around his waist like that.

“Hold on tight.” He says and before you can say anything more, you’re soaring through the sky.

He flies slower than the others, probably not to freak you out even more than you already are. The flight gives you a weird mix of fear and excitement - fear because you’re not exactly the biggest fan of heights and then an excitement similar to the first time you rode a motorbike. But even so, you feel completely safe in James’s strong and warm hold.

The entire flight, you keep your arms around his neck and your face hidden agains his shoulder because you can’t stop smiling no matter how hard you try. You’re flying around in the arms of an actual angel and it’s… fun!

You’re really sad once you land in the clearing where everything began just last night. The sun is setting now and you know your adventure is coming to an end. James doesn’t let go of your hand even as you walk over to his siblings, who are waiting for him. You wonder if he is just as sad to have to say goodbye as you are.

“So you’re going back to Heaven now?” You ask the other with a smile, but they can probably tell you’re forcing it.

“Well….It’s not technically Heaven as you probably think it is, but that’d be too complicated to explain. So yeah, I guess we are.” Natasha pats you on the shoulder with a friendly smile.

They all actually were pretty friendly and you wish they would at least stay over for dinner, there’s enough frozen pizza in your cabin to feed an army and you would love to hear about their adventures.

“Why don’t you two say goodbye properly?” Offers Sam. You have the feeling that beyond his teasing nature that you’ve seen so far, he’s quite a compassionate one. You thank him and pull James back to the edge of the treeline.

“I’m gonna miss you, Angel.” You try not to show him just how sad you are at this moment because he’s already pouting and avoiding your eyes - you don’t want to add to it.

"Thank you.” He blurts out suddenly. “I didn’t have the chance to tell you properly yet. Really, you were so kind to me, you just wrapped a blanket around me and fed me and kept me safe in a time when I was so vulnerable.” He holds your face in his hands and gently strokes your cheeks with his thumbs. “I don't even have enough words to tell you how grateful I am for you. I'm sorry I put you in such danger, I hope you can forgive me one day."

You tear up immediately, because he's so genuine and you came to care for him so much in the short time you've known him. You cover his hands on you face with your own and turn to kiss his palm. 

"Thank you for saving me. And I have nothing to forgive because I don't blame you, Angel. I'm glad you have your strength back. I'm just sad you're leaving so soon."

You barely get to finish your sentence before his lips are on yours. He drops his hands from your face and puts them on your hips, pulling you close to him once again. You can hear his friends hollering behind you like a pack of teenagers and he smiles into the kiss, then moves his wings a bit so they hide you from view. The kiss is warm and gentle, just like him and you’re glad he’s holding you tight because your knees have completely melted by the time he pulls away.

When you break apart, he looks at you with such adoration you don't ever want to let him go anywhere, you just want him to stay with you. But you can't ask him to do something like that. 

He hugs you, kisses your forehead and cheek and pecks your lips. "I'll come back to you, darling. I promise I will." He whispers in your ear and kisses your temple as if to seal his promise. 

You peck his lips and smile. "I'll put a mattress in the middle of the clearing so you don't hurt yourself next time you fall." He laughs and shakes his head at your idea. He’s wrong if he thinks you won’t do it.

With one last kiss, you step away and let Bucky join his family in the middle of the clearing. They disappear in a beam of bright, sparkling light and then the forest is quiet again. 

You head back to your cabin, find Alpine and with a heavy sigh, you start cleaning up the mess the fight with the demons created. You miss your Angel already.

_ _ _ _

_ A few months later... _

Fixing the cabin was quick and easier than you expected. Since your encounter with a bunch of mythical creatures, you have found a job in the nearby town, and now live permanently in the cabin. 

You often think of your Angel, sometimes it feels like the encounter was just a dream, but the proof of James's existence was still there next your sofa. Whenever you felt lonely and was missing him, you would run your palm through the basket of silky feathers, sometimes pull one out and stroke it gently.

It's a quiet late spring night, when Alpine jumps off your lap with a whine and trots to the front door. She barks and  _ wooo’ _ s while pacing under the door, demanding you open it. 

You get up with a sigh, expecting some lost backpackers or something, but when you open the door, the air is completely knocked out of your lungs.

At the door stands James, now dressed in a light gray suit, his magnificent wings tucked behind his back and he's holding a bouquet of white roses. But what is the most beautiful is the shy smile on his lips as he looks at you from under his lashes.

You jump in his arms with a squeal of his name, and hug him tight, not believing he's really back. He drops the flowers and holds you close, cradles your head to him and pets your hair as he kisses your forehead.

He pulls back just enough to lean his forehead to yours and strokes your cheek with his thumb. "Did you miss me, darling?" 

"Of course I missed you, James.” You laugh - what kind of question even is that?! “My Angel." You kiss him softly, but with all love and longing you’ve been holding in this entire time. You pulls him inside by the lapels of his suit jacket and at least for the night, you don't leave his arms.


End file.
